


Black Mambo

by kyluxicle (LadyCamillus)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alcohol, Bodyguard Hux, Drug Use, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, More tags later, Prince Kylo, Slow Burn, Spoiled prince AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-09-08 21:44:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8863312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyCamillus/pseuds/kyluxicle
Summary: Prince Benjamin, widely known as Kylo Ren, is prince and heir to the thrown with a proclivity for destructive hobbies. Queen Leia assigns him guard after guard in an vain attempt to save him from himself but none of them ever last more than a few weeks. General Hux is assigned to the task in a last ditch effort, regretting it before the agreement is even finalized. When things take a drastic turn for the worse, Hux realizes he may care for his charge more than he realized.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once upon a time I promised mythoughtcrime that I'd write a fic based on their spoiled prince au. I wanted to write the whole thing before I started posting chapters but I'm realizing that's not how motivation works for me. 
> 
> Title is a Glass Animals song that fits the plot surprisingly well.

A scream cut through the walls of the palace and reached Leia where she was reading in her bedroom. Screaming, in and of itself, was not unusual. Her father was often prone to fits of madness that resulted in screams of rage and screams of fear.

  
This scream, however, was neither of those things.  
  
This was a scream of unadulterated agony.  
  
Dread coiled tightly in Leia’s gut and on instinct she rushed over to the telephone in her room, dialing for the police. She requested their urgent assistance knowing without knowing that they would be needed.  
  
Rushing through the halls towards the east wing, the dread began to creep into her lungs and spread through her veins until she felt numb with it. She passed two guards on her path and ordered them to come with her, the three of them running to where she knew the king was meeting with her brother and his advisor, Ben Kenobi. It was the day that Mr. Kenobi would take official custody of her and her brother. She’d been invited as well, but had declined instead to study the dignitaries that were invited to an upcoming charity ball. As they approached the king’s study, they could hear muffled sobs on the other side of the door. Instinct was telling her to stop, to turn around and run away. To keep running. Her hand shook as she reached for the door handle and pushed it open to reveal the scene inside.  
  
Nausea washed over her and she stumbled back.  
  
“Leia darling, you’re just in time,” Anakin said looking up at her with a pleasant smile. “Cup of tea?”  
  
The first thing that she noted was the blood. _There was so much blood._ It was spattered across her father’s face and hands, his suit, the cup of tea that he was holding. A thick trail of it led from him to the still form of Mr. Kenobi sitting in one of the high-backed arm chairs. It flowed sluggishly from a wide gash that split his neck.  
  
The nausea was overwhelming and she began to hyperventilate. A ringing took up in her ears that drowned out whatever it was that her father was now saying.  
  
Ben was dead. Her father had killed him. He was having another episode and was still deep inside of it. She was in danger. She needed to move.  
  
Yet even as she thought this, she was frozen.  
  
Yelling broke through her stupor, sounding distorted through the ringing, and she slowly looked to the other side of the room. She gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth as her vision blurred with tears. Luke was kneeling on the ground surrounded by blood. It dripped from his nose and poured from his severed wrist, his hand lying bloodsoaked and useless on the floor in front of him.  
  
“Leia!” he yelled again, tears streaming down his face. Her eyes snapped back up to his face. “Run! You need to get out of here!”  
  
“Now, now. It would be rude to leave so soon,” Anakin said, a frown curling on his lips.

  
His tone was enough to make her move. “Guards!” she shrieked, breaking them from the same shock she had been in at the horror in front of them.

  
They rushed Anakin and he snarled, dropping the cup of tea onto the ground and reaching behind him for a dagger on the table. He slashed up across one of the guard’s chest, but the body armor they wore beneath their uniforms rendered the blow null. Before the guard could grab the King’s arm though, Anakin slashed back down across his face, the blade cutting a harsh line from left temple to right jaw. The other guard yelled and tackled him to the ground, wrestling the blade from his grip. They struggled, blood smearing everywhere across the hardwood floor, until the guard who had been cut dropped a knee to Anakin’s back and pulled his head back by the hair. There was a sickening thud as the guard slammed it upon the floor and Anakin went slack.

  
Leia’s legs gave out beneath her and she fell to her knees. As things went still she became aware of the overbearing smell and lost her battle with nausea, emptying her stomach contents onto the floor.

 

 -----------------

** 31 years later **

\------------------

  
The silence that filled the room was potentially tense.

  
It depended on your perspective.

  
From his mother’s point of view, the silence was thick with unsaid frustrations and a side of concern. For Kylo, however, it wasn’t tense so much as it was painfully boring. They’d had this conversation enough times that he knew the script, knew the tactics that Leia would try to use to make him feel guilty and be more responsible.

  
He sat slouched in the high back chair of the lounge they were in, drumming his fingers on the armrest. It was a sharp contrast to Leia’s perfect but stiff posture as she sat cross-legged and holding a teacup in her hands just hard enough that her knuckles paled.

  
The silence continued for another minute before his mother finally broke it.

  
“This is the eleventh one, Ben.” Her voice was as stiff as her posture.

  
“Kylo,” he said under his breath. She glared at him and he didn’t bother hiding his eye roll, making her huff in annoyance.

  
“Eleven different bodyguards in a four month span. You’ve successfully run every single one out of our employ. Are you proud of yourself?”

  
Kylo let out a short laugh. He couldn’t help it because—honestly—he was quite proud of that fact. He understood the need for him to have a bodyguard, truly he did. Having the title of “Prince” put him in the public eye, and people flocked to him whenever they knew he would be somewhere. The majority of those people were not ones that he fancied interacting with, so having a barrier between himself and the masses was a must.

  
The problem that he did have with the guards, however, was that they were employed directly by his mother, reporting back to her like dogs on his extracurricular activities. It was just another way that she tried to micromanage him, and he hated her for it.

  
Leia’s glare had intensified and Kylo gave her his best indulgent smile. Being a queen you’d think she would be better at keeping her emotions off of her face. Although, he supposed he was a special case.

  
“Mother dearest, I do believe that six of those eleven were discharged by you, which would make you equally responsible for their lack of employ as I am.” Her knuckles tightened on the teacup and Kylo idly wondered if it would crack in her grip. “More so, if we’re being technical.”

  
“And I only did so because you had enticed them into neglecting their duties,” she said matching his falsely sweet tone, neatly avoiding having to say out loud that ‘enticing them’ meant getting them to fuck him while on duty.

  
He rolled his eyes again and waited for her to continue.

  
“This wouldn’t be a problem if you conducted yourself in a manner more befitting of our status. We are constantly being observed, and every time your name appears in the media it creates a further stain upon our image. As much as I’d love to say that image isn’t important, it is. We’re royal by birth, but I hold office by vote. People will look at me and think if she can’t control her own son, why should we trust her to control our country.”

  
Kylo straightened as anger flared in his chest. “Oh, and you’d love that, wouldn’t you?” he snarled. “To control me?”

  
He’d had been content to humor Leia through this, give a fake apology and get on with his day, but that had struck a nerve. She always did this. She’d always done this. Treated him like some unruly pet that had never been properly tamed.

  
“Right now I would like that, yes,” she snapped back. “I don't enjoy having these conversations with you. I have no desire to control you, but since you lack any self-control yourself it becomes a necessity that I do it for you.”

  
Kylo’s lip curled up in a sneer. “Well, you’re failing magnificently at it so far, so maybe you really shouldn’t be running the country.”

  
The teacup was set down on its saucer with a hard clink.

  
“You are too old to be acting out like a child, Ben!” she shouted.

  
Kylo was seething. He hated her. Oh, how he hated her, and imagined her precious ‘image’ coming down in spectacular ruins. Anger rose like bile in his throat and he slowly sat up, drawing himself to his full height in the chair.

  
“Are we done here?” he asked in a low, steady voice, contrasting how his hands shook where they gripped the armrests.

  
“No,” she said coldly. “I’m assigning you one last guard. If you ruin this, I’m cutting you off. You’ll be sent to your uncle’s estate where you’ll be confined to the premises and leagues from anything you could harm this family with.”

  
Her cheeks were flushed with her own anger, and Kylo was fighting a strong urge to throw anything within his reach at her. The silence between them now was charged, susceptible to combusting on a single spark. Seconds that felt like hours ticked by and his hatred turned cold. Leia had never been one to make empty threats before and this particular one had hit its mark. She knew that he wouldn’t go so far as to get himself cut off. He was dependent on the family coffers for his lifestyle and would hate the alternatives so much more than he hated the current situation.

  
There was nothing he could counter that statement with.

  
When Leia realized that he wasn’t going to respond, her shoulders relaxed a fraction and the corner of her lips twitched into a hint of a smile. “Now we are done.”

  
Kylo growled and stood from the chair, the sudden movement making it scrape on the hardwood floor as he stormed out of the room.

 

\-----------------

 

Hux had been pleasantly surprised when he’d received an email from a comrade and friend from his military days. The man had worked with Hux on his last mission, bringing them closer together than they otherwise would’ve been—nothing brought people together quite like shared trauma. However, they hadn’t spoken in almost a year, both of them busy with the separate paths that their lives had taken. The email was a formal one, a request for a business meeting, rather than just reconnecting as friends, but it would be good to see him again either way.

  
He was due to arrive at Hux’s office within the next ten minutes, and Hux found he couldn’t concentrate on the other work he had on hand, too distracted by surfacing thoughts of the old days. He turned his chair to gaze out the floor-to-ceiling window that made up the back wall, overlooking the sprawl of the capital city, and his scarred eye began to ache beneath the patch that covered it. The view was something to envy and he tried to use it to remind himself of how fortunate he was now instead of dwelling on the remorse that always followed the memories.

  
The intercom buzzed and he turned back around to his desk, pressing the button to accept the call.

  
“Go ahead.”

  
“Sir,” his secretary answered, “Captain Fletcher is here for your meeting.”

  
“Thank you, please send him in.”

  
A moment later, the door opened and Khai Fletcher stepped into his office. Hux stood and gave a sharp exhale as memories surfaced more forcefully at seeing his familiar dark skin with that large birthmark across his face. Again, he pushed them aside.

  
“Fletcher,” he said as he extended his hand.

  
“Hux,” the other man said looking unabashedly pleased to see him, and shook his hand with a firm grip. Hux gave his own small smile as they sat down.

  
They sat in silence for a moment as they both took in the appearance of the other. Fletcher looked much older than Hux remembered him even though it’d only been five years. Strands of grey peppered through the black of his dreadlocks and there were lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Hux knew his own appearance wasn’t much better off.

  
“Still won’t cut your hair, I see,” Hux said flatly.

  
Fletcher raised an eyebrow. “Still won’t shave those terrible sideburns,” he countered.

  
Hux’s smile grew and he sat back in his chair. “So you said you had a business offer. What can I do for the captain of the Queen’s Guard?”

  
Fletched sighed and his expression turned tired. “I need a bodyguard for a high profile client, and I came to offer it to you.”

  
Hux frowned. “Is that not the specialty of your company? I presume ‘high profile’ refers to an affiliate of the royal family.”

  
“It does,” Fletcher said with a slow nod. “Unfortunately, this is not my first attempt at filling the position. I’ve been forced to discharge a number of my men due to their… lack of discipline. I need a professional and I need the best. Which is why I’ve come to you.”

  
A pinch of skepticism budded in Hux as he studied Fletcher’s weary expression. “I’m still of the belief that your men are more qualified than mine as they have more experience with the type of clientele, but if you’re truly desperate then I can recommend my finest.”

  
The security company that Hux managed specialized in business executives and celebrities. The royals were a form of celebrity, but with more rules and regulations. Fletcher would have to train them to his standards, which seemed a dreadful waste of his time considering he already had capable guards at his disposal.

  
Fletcher looked down and shifted in his seat, and Hux’s eye immediately narrowed. This was not a man to fidget in even the most tense of situations, so whatever he was avoiding explaining to Hux must’ve been something significant. When he looked back up, there was a hint of guilt in his eyes.

  
“Hux, I’m not asking for your men. I’m asking for you,” he said solemnly.

  
Hux’s frown deepened as he considered this. The client must be someone extremely important for Hux’s name to have even been considered. He was a decorated military man, highly respected by many, and resigned from field work as of five years ago. It was a combination that made him either ineligible or inaccessible to most. If the position had gone through several turnovers already, it couldn’t be a foreign dignitary. That essentially left the immediate royal family. The Queen had Fletcher himself and his best, her brother hadn’t been a public figure for nearly 30 years, and the only direct family member left was–

  
Hux’s eyes widened in disbelief.

  
“No,” he said firmly.

  
Fletcher squared his shoulders and gave Hux a hard look.

  
“Hux, I know that–”

  
“I will not _babysit_ that spoiled, overgrown brat that we’re forced to call a prince,” Hux cut in.

  
It was no wonder Fletcher hadn’t been able to keep the position filled. The boy was a nightmare, gracing the front page of gossip rags on an almost weekly basis. Hux had never met him but from everything he knew of their prince he was arrogant, unruly, undisciplined, and a menace to both himself and the country. The task of trying to protect him from all the dangers that he brought upon himself would be nigh impossible and most certainly miserable. He would not subject himself to it.

  
“Hux,” Fletcher said with reproach, and Hux couldn’t help but think that he never would’ve dared take that tone with him when he was his commanding officer. “No matter his disposition, he is still the crown prince of this country that we swore to protect. Do you still care about our country?”

  
Hux’s upper lip curled in distaste as he leveled a glare at Fletcher. It was a look that had made lesser men quail in fear, but Fletcher had worked with him for too long those years ago. He was trying to play Hux by pulling the ‘duty and honor’ card, something he knew full well would get under his skin.

  
“Of course I do,” he all but growled.

  
“Well, like it or not Prince Benjamin Amidala, widely known as Kylo Ren, is an integral part our country at the moment. The job I need you for is to protect him from harm. However,” he said and then paused for dramatic effect. Hux almost rolled his eye. “You can also view it as an opportunity to protect our country from his seeming determination to discredit it.

  
Hux was quickly feeling like this was less of a job offer and more of an order disguised as a request.

  
“And you expect me to abandon what I’ve built for myself here?” Hux asked bitterly. “All the work I’ve done to move on from that day?”

  
Hux knew it was a low blow and almost regretted it when hurt flashed across Fletcher’s face. It was a fair question though. Their last mission would haunt him for the rest of his days, and it hadn’t been easy, walking away from the military, finding a new life for himself. It was only in this last year that he had gotten into a routine that he could manage with ease. It was mundane compared to what he used to have, but it was safe.

  
Fletcher’s gaze skimmed around the office taking in what Hux had, and Hux felt a modicum of self-consciousness. Despite being in one of the city’s prominent towers, the office was exceedingly plain. The furniture was top quality but sparse, and there was nothing personalized about it. No pictures of family or friends, no art pieces that he had chosen, nothing that he might have an attachment to. His safety came from detachment, and Hux knew that Fletcher could see exactly what he was doing.

  
“And you’re happy with what you’ve built?” Fletcher asked with a softness that made Hux bristle. “Is this nine-to-five, desk job really what you want to be doing?”

  
“Even if it’s not, guarding the Prince certainly isn’t something I want to be doing either,” Hux snapped, but even as he said it he felt his resolve slip a little. It was true that he didn’t like his job, but that was part of why he was doing it. He neither liked nor disliked it. It was simply a job that required enough dedication to keep him busy.

  
“Humor me then,” Fletcher pushed earnestly, undeterred by Hux’s response. “Trade one shitty job for another. At the very least I can promise you’ll never be bored.”

  
Hux sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hated himself for even considering Fletcher's offer, but the mixed pressure of obligation and being able to do something active were annoyingly compelling.

  
God, he hated himself.

  
Lowering his hand he glared at Fletcher one more time for good measure.

  
“I’ll need everything you have on him. Lists of where he frequents, who he's friends with, known hostiles, criminal record including whatever you've had stricken from it because god knows what your people have had to cover up, and I swear on my father’s grave if you don't stop smiling I'm taking all of this back.”

  
Fletcher—fuck him—laughed.

  
“You're saving my ass, Hux,” he said grinning.

  
“Yes, well it's hardly the first time,” Hux said bitterly. “You owe me for this.”

  
Fletcher's smile saddened a little. “It's hardly the first time.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided it's easier to update with short chapters. Also going to be switching POVs fairly often so those will be the chapter breaks... enjoy!

A scant two days later Hux had packed a suitcase containing the majority of his closet and was riding in the back of a car to the palace. He’d still keep his flat in the city, but would spend most of his nights in the suite that Fletcher said was prepared for him as his new position would require him to be in close proximity to his charge during all working hours.

  
Rather than entering the main southern gate, they went around to a smaller one on the west end. After gaining clearance it was a short drive through the exterior gardens, and Hux watched with a growing sense of distaste as they approached the palace. It was a morose stone edifice that exemplified the old guard architecture of the early 18th century, housing more scandals than a whorehouse that would never see the light of day. He suspected he would become privy to a number of those sooner rather than later.

  
A housemaid greeted him in the foyer, and showed him to his rooms. They consisted of a sitting room, bedroom, and en suite. It was only slightly smaller than his own flat, though far more ostentatious with its rococo gilding and festoons in a persistent color scheme of white and gold. He had a half hour to settle in before he was called to a sitting room in the Northern Hall.

  
He'd only just finished hanging up the rest of his suits when another servant showed up to lead him to the hall. He mapped out the path they took, taking in every door, window, and nook with the intention of having every inch of his charge’s home. He doubted he would encounter issues within the palace wall but it would be careless of him to not be aware of every possible danger and escape route.

  
The sitting room was as ostentatious as the rest of the palace, historical decor preserved in all its garish perfection. He'd get used to it eventually he supposed.

  
In the room sat the queen and prime minister of their country. Hux had met Queen Leia once before in the ceremony in which he'd been honored for his service amongst other brave men and women. She was fiercely intelligent, strong willed, and clever. She would've done well in the guard had she not been a royal.

  
“My Queen,” Hux said, bowing to the exact degree that custom called for. “It's an honor to be here.”

  
The queen stood as he straightened and she reached forward offering a handshake. Unconventional. But Hux decided he liked her for it.

  
“The honor is all mine, General Hux. As you're aware there have been… issues with holding this position, and it's a relief to know that someone with such an outstanding reputation will be taking this on.”

  
She sat back down in her chair and motioned for him to take the one across from her.

  
“My son is supposed to be here already, but his delay is unsurprising. He is not found of having a personal guard and will make many attempts to either have you dismissed or resign.”

  
Hux nodded. He'd heard as much from Fletcher including some of the details as to how.

  
“I assure you, your Majesty, my leave from here will not be by resignation. I do not take commitments lightly.”

  
The queen looked pleased to hear this, something about her expression even smug. His guess was that she wasn't expecting the prince to like him (which was most likely true) and that his presence would be as much of a thorn in the prince’s side as he was in hers.

  
The sound of footsteps and jangling of jewelry caught his attention before a moment later the prince in question appeared. Hux stood from his chair as Kylo Ren stopped in the doorway.

  
His first impression was that he was beautiful in the same way that the palace was. Ostentatious and over-decorated, but he could see the appeal. Unlike the palace’s colorful decor, the prince was dressed in all black from the Chelsea's on his feet to high waisted leather pants that looked painted onto him to a flowing poet’s shirt that was open halfway down his chest. Layers upon layers of long, delicate looking necklaces covered his chest and shifted with every move creating a bell like ambience that followed him. His thick black hair was tousled and pushed back from his face which was composed of large, sharp features. His lips were painted red and his eyes surrounded by dark, precise makeup. He looked as though he'd just stepped off of a runway.

  
He was also scowling at Hux.

  
Kylo pushed his chin out and looked down his long nose at him, his gaze lingering on the eyepatch before a sneer curled his lips.

  
“He's defective,” he said bluntly, looking over at his mother.

  
Hux already wanted to slap him.

  
When Hux looked at the queen she said nothing, but raised an eyebrow at him, obviously intending for Hux to speak for himself.

  
He inclined his head in the small possible bow and said, “I assure you, your highness, my ability to protect will not be hindered by any perceived handicap.”

  
Ren ignored him and addressed the queen.

  
“Is this a joke? Are you giving me one that's half blind hoping I'll finally be taken out and you won't have to put up with me anymore?”

  
“I'm giving you a chance, Benjamin,” Leia responded coolly. “General Hux is a renowned officer from those who have sworn to protect us, and has been running a successful security program since his graceful discharge. I have absolute faith in his ability to keep you safe.”

  
Ren scoffed at this, dark eyes giving Hux a brief once over before turning back to her.

  
“If he quits I'm choosing the next one.”

  
“If he quits you're going to your uncle’s,” Leia responded firmly.

  
The prince snarled at her and shifted his glare back to Hux.

  
“I'm going out tonight. You will do your job and stay out of my way.”

  
Hux bristled at the command and his lip twitched into a sneer, but Ren was already storming out of the room before he could respond with something he might regret. He sighed and looked back at the queen. She looked tired.

  
“I apologize for his behavior,” she said. “Of you are ever in need of anything please do not hesitate to let me know. I am aware that this position will be difficult and would like to do whatever I can to ease the strain of it.”

  
“Thank you, your majesty,” Hux said with a nod. “I will be sure to let you know.”

  
The queen dismissed him after that and Hux went back to his rooms. It was obvious that the prince had been ready to hate him before they'd met and had no intention of relaxing that stance. Hux would most likely be subjected to petty comments and taunts, and the best course of action would be to stay neutral. He would bury any emotions or responses that arose from the ensured indignity of Kylo Ren's presence as he would hopefully grow bored without any feedback. He couldn't believe he'd let Fletcher talk him into this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

Kylo was livid about his mother's final choice for his guard. The man looked like he could barely protect himself let alone the crown prince—he was built too thinly and wore a fucking eyepatch. How was he supposed to protect him if he couldn't even see properly? Kylo was bigger than him for fucks sake. He was taller and built stronger. His mother had intentionally given him someone who wouldn't be able to do the job assigned to him and then Kylo would be forced to move into the country with his uncle where there'd be fuck-all to do but listen to him ramble about philosophy. 

 

His hand was forced though. He wouldn't be able to goad this one into quitting or being fired and would just have to wait for the inevitable moment when he failed. There was the option of changing what crowds he hung out with and playing it safe, but that was exactly what his mother wanted and he had no plans of conceding that easily. 

 

Later that night he touched up his makeup and exchanged his top for a relatively simple black tank, and the long necklaces were traded for a single heavy gold collar piece, inlaid with obsidian that started high on his neck and fanned down to reach his collar bones. The look was topped with a large black fur coat. He'd made plans to meet with Phasma and some of her followers and had every intention of drinking himself into a stupor. 

 

When he arrived in the foyer, the guard was standing there waiting for him. What had his mother called him? General Hux? Retired now of course. He looked washed up in a drab black suit, his red hair slicked back adding a severe sharpness to his features. He could maybe be hot if he didn't look like he'd just had fresh shit shoved under his nose. 

 

“Your highness,” he greeted with an incline of his head. His voice had a smoky timbre to it that also had potential to be attractive, but that was all beside the point. He couldn't sleep with this one. It would've been fun to try though. 

 

Kylo ignored him and continued walking towards the black car that was waiting for them just outside the doors, Hux falling in step just behind him. The driver knew his destination so there was no need to say anything to him. They took off as soon as Hux had sat down in the back next to him, and bitterness rolled off of Kylo as they drove. Though it was somewhat satisfying to see that the guard didn't look terribly pleased to be there either. The eager, star struck guards were the worst. 

 

“What happened to your eye?” Kylo asked without preamble as they wound through city streets. 

 

Hux turned his head to look at him and now that they were closer he could see a scar that extended up his brow from beneath the patch. 

 

Hux didn't answer right away and Kylo felt a bubble of annoyance at being made to wait. 

 

“Classified,” the man drawled before looking straight ahead again. 

 

Kylo scoffed. Asshole. He would've had so much fun breaking this one of his harsh exterior and seeing what it took to make him crack.

 

They eventually arrived at the club he'd told Phasma to meet him at, and Kylo waited as Hux got out of the car and walked around to open the door for him. There were shrieks as soon as he stepped onto the pavement and people who were lined up to get into the club waved and yelled to get his attention. He didn't spare them a glance as he walked straight to the door with Hux on his heels. The bouncer let them in and it was like walking into a wall of sound as the door opened for them. Music pumped through air that smelled of perfume, sweat, and liquor. The room was dark with bright flickering lights from the dance floor, a blue hue cast everywhere else from the subtle lighting around the bar.

 

Bodies parted for him as he made a beeline for the VIP section, and he grinned to see Phasma already there with a small woman half in her lap. He sat on the leather bench beside her and glanced up to see his new guard looking warily at the patrons around them. His visible discomfort did nothing to reassure Kylo that this man could actually protect him if he was already looking like he was ready to bolt.

 

“Leave us,” Kylo ordered with a vague wave of his hand. 

 

Hux turned his eye on Kylo and it narrowed, before his gaze shifted to Phasma. His brow raised minutely as he looked her over, and Kylo frowned. There was a tension in the air as Hux stared at Phasma, and he looked as though he wanted to say something to her. More than likely he recognized her from articles that had described her and Kylo together, speculating if they were an item because of all the time they spent together. Kylo couldn’t care less about this man’s opinions and he wanted him gone. He would not be happy if he had to repeat himself.

 

Just as he opened his mouth to berate him, though, the man walked somewhere behind their booth to take up post. 

 

“Useless,” Kylo muttered. A server appeared to take his drink order a moment later and then he was turning to speak with Phas, but the words stopped in his throat upon seeing the odd look she had on her face. 

 

“New bodyguard?” she asked. 

 

“Isn't there always one?”

 

“Yes, but not like him.”

 

Kylo's frowned again. Apparently she knew him as well. “Explain.”

 

“That's Armitage Hux isn't it? Former General of the Royal Army?”

 

Kylo nodded.

 

“He's a war hero,” she continued. “Essentially you have a national treasure following you around on a leash.”

 

Kylo hummed in interest and turned around to see where Hux had gone. He had his back to a pillar not far away and was scanning the room diligently. He knew the man had been discharged from the army, but he wasn’t familiar with whatever story supposedly made him a war hero. It seemed highly unlikely that a man built as wiry as him could amount to the title of ‘hero.’ Probably just some fluke where his squad got killed but he managed to survive.

 

The server brought his drink out just then and he took it gratefully, preemptively putting in another order of the same.

 

“What does it matter? The leash is still in my mother's hand.”

 

Phasma shrugged and the conversation moved on to other things. They gossiped about acquaintances, made plans for future events, and after a couple drinks he was complaining to Phasma about his mother’s terms for him in regards to this new guard. As if on cue, the man came striding forward to intercept a couple of young men before they reached where Kylo was seated. He watched with vague interest as Hux held out his hand to block them and leaned in to say something. The club was too loud to make out but whatever he said made them both look nervously between Kylo and Hux before their shoulders drooped and they walked away. 

 

Hux’s eyes met Kylo’s briefly as he walked back to his previous position, and Kylo felt annoyed again by the lack of expression he found in Hux’s face. Even if it was for the best that they remained neutral, he wanted to evoke some sort of emotion from the other man. Something more than casual disdain. He huffed and put in an order for another drink when the server came by to take away their empties. 

 

Hours later, the stress of having a new guard and his mother's threat were washed away by alcohol. He felt weightless and invincible as he laughed at something Phasma said—he wasn’t even sure what it was but it didn’t matter. He felt good. From the corner of his eye he noticed Hux turning away more people who tried to approach him and smiled in spite of himself. Thank god for guards who did their job. This wasn't the part he hated. It was when they reported back to his mother and made him feel like a child. 

 

With the carefree effects of liquor flowing through him, he took another inventory of Hux, all of the harsh thoughts he’d had for him slipping away. He was almost as tall as Kylo, a feature he always appreciated in a man, and while he was thin he wasn’t gangly the way tall people could be. There was grace to the way he moved and his expression held a constant stoicism. Kylo’s thoughts wandered back to the idea of trying to get him to show another expression, one more open and relaxed. What would he look like in the throes of pleasure? Would his cheeks flush red and his eye turn soft? Or maybe that stoic look would shift subtly to determination and focus, completely dedicated to the pleasure of his partner?

 

He drummed his fingers on his leg as he stared at Hux. Maybe it would be worth it to get him to sleep with Kylo. Afterall his mother’s issue with the relationships he’d had with past guards was that it usually led to nearly public scenes. The media tailed him like needy, stray dogs, and particularly hungry photographers had made opportunities to take compromising pictures of him with these guards. If it all stayed at the palace… 

 

With an annoyed huff Kylo leaned back against his seat, draining the last of his drink before absently fiddling with the glass. It didn’t matter if the man was hot, he was still his mother’s snitch. The effort it would take to get him in bed would probably be more trouble than it was worth. Probably. 

 

Kylo startled when a hand appeared in front of his face, fingers snapping twice to get his attention. He glared over to see Phasma looking at him with an amused look. 

 

“You still with me?” she asked with a smirk.

 

He rolled his eyes but gave her a short smile in return. “I’m not that far gone yet.”

 

She laughed and pulled the girl next to her fully onto her lap. “Nel here was just saying that there’s a new spot in town. Have you heard of The Citadel before?”

 

This quickly drew Kylo away from his musings about Hux. He’d been a part of the night life in the area for years and had always been up on trending places. It was strange to be hearing about somewhere new from someone else like this. 

 

“No. It can’t be that great if I’ve never heard of it before.”

 

The woman in Phasma’s lap leaned forward, her dark lips spreading into a confident grin.

 

“It’s not open to the public. You need a password to get in and it changes every night,” she said. “Only the city’s elite and those with connections to them can go there.”

 

Kylo tilted his head as he considered this. A place with that kind of exclusivity held a definite appeal, and if the other patrons were high in social standing he wouldn’t need to worry about being bothered by common people like the ones who had cheered when he’d originally entered this club. It was nice sometimes to have his ego stroked like that, but the absence of eager citizens would be just as nice.

 

“How do you know about it then?” he asked. He’d never seen her before and she certainly didn’t seem like an ‘elite’ as she put it.

 

Her grin turned smug and she wrapped her arm around Phasma’s neck. “I know the owner. You’re exactly the clientele he’s looking for. Do you want in?”

 

It wasn’t a hard decision to make. Of course he wanted in. He wanted to go everywhere that mattered at least once. He could be the judge of whether or not it was worth going back. 

 

The three of them spoke on the topic further, the woman giving them the next night’s passcode as well as the address. She described it as more of a smoke lounge than a dance club, though it did still have a dance floor. There were live musicians each night and a mezzanine that overlooked the stage and dance floor where only the most important guests could relax and indulge in substance pleasures.

 

With immediate plans made, Kylo decided he’d had enough of sitting and wanted to dance. Phasma declined, being more interested in the girl now straddling her lap, and left Kylo to find another partner. He shrugged off his coat and left, vaguely aware of Hux following him but he didn’t pay him any mind as he wove his way through the crowd to the dance floor. On the way there he passed a man at the bar and stopped, looking him over with an appreciative gaze, which was returned in equal measure as the man looked back at him.

 

“Dance with he,” Kylo stated. There was no question involved, and the man didn’t hesitate. He smiled and took Kylo’s hand as they went out onto the floor. 

 

The alcohol and music guided his movements and he let himself go. There was nothing to think about here, nothing to cause worry or caution; just dancing and grinding against his partner and indulging in absent pleasure. When the man’s hands turned greedy he let it happen. He turned so his ass was against his crotch and let the man palm at his dick while lips and teeth moved along his jaw. If he hadn’t chosen to wear this collar-necklace he was certain that his partner would be leaving bruising marks along his pale skin. He was as hard as his pants would allow him to get, which truthfully was not much, but he enjoyed the attention for what it was. 

 

When he looked up past the crowd, his eyes found Hux’s. He looked just as uncomfortable as he had when they’d first gotten here and they maintained eye contact even as Kylo let out a moan that was immediately lost in the noise. Suddenly the idea of Hux watching as Kylo got fucked by this man came to his mind and he wondered if Hux would keep that disdainful look, judging and sneering down at him as he let himself get debased. His cock pulsed and he moaned again, closing his eyes. People rarely dared to look at him like that and there was something desirable in it. Something new and alluring. He wanted it. 

 

The dancing never progressed to anything further and Kylo had no intention of going home with this man. They eventually parted and Kylo walked straight up to Hux with a singular focus until they were no more than an inch apart. Kylo was panting with exertion and arousal and knew Hux could feel his breath on his face. It’d be so easy to just kiss him right then. Would he reciprocate? Would he push Kylo away and wipe off the makeup that would surely stain his lips?

 

Hux only stood there and returned his stare, looking completely unaffected by their proximity. No anxiousness, no desire, no nothing. It was frustrating.

 

“I’m leaving,” Kylo said, turning on his heel and walking back up to the VIP section to grab his coat. Hux was close on his heels, talking into a device to have the car come around front. Phasma was still in the same spot that he’d left her only now she was making out with the girl from before and there were dark lipstick stains on her neck. Her hand was hidden under her partner’s short dress. 

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said as he picked up his coat and put it back on. 

 

She stopped kissing long enough to smile and wink at him before going back to the task at hand. He laughed as he turned away, glancing at Hux for confirmation that there ride was ready. Hux gestured towards the exit, and they made their way out as quickly as they could. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nel is Bazine Netal but I didn't like that name lmao
> 
> Check me out on tumblr! [kyluxicle](http://kyluxicle.tumblr.com/)


End file.
